


An Unexpected Return

by miesber



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Angst, Drama, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-25
Updated: 2016-11-15
Packaged: 2018-05-09 07:34:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,644
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5531171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miesber/pseuds/miesber
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Aaron and Robert have finally found their way back to one another and are happier than ever before, but will the happiness last or will an unexpected return make everything worse yet again?</p><p>After Aaron's father showed up last Christmas, Aaron is hoping for a nice and drama-free Christmas this year, but what will happen when it turns out that Robert's father isn't as dead as they had all thought?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

He’s happy. Truly happy. It really is a strange feeling. Aaron can’t remember the last time he smiled for no other reason than being genuinely happy. Looking over at Robert, asleep next to him, his smile only grows wider. This is all he ever wanted. Robert finally being his. For the longest time he didn’t think he’d ever see the day, but now it’s here, and he still has to pinch himself to make sure that it’s all real.

Robert has shown him the best and the worst parts about being alive, but Aaron would never take any of it back. Everything that has happened between them, no matter how tragic, has shaped them into the people they are today. They have both grown so much over the last year. It’s strange thinking back to this time last year and how much he wanted to hate Robert, yet he was never able to escape the underlying love between them.

This time last year Aaron was sure he would never be able to forgive Robert for the things he had done, and in a way he still hasn’t, but Robert has changed so much since then. But even though he has changed, he is still the same person Aaron fell in love with. In a way he is more that person now than he was at the time Aaron actually fell in love with him. He will never forget the lengths Robert used to go to in order to look out for himself, but he also knows that there is no way Robert will ever go that far again. This has finally turned into the relationship Aaron always wanted to have with Robert and Robert has finally turned into the person Aaron always knew he could be, and the thought of it is overwhelming.

Robert stirs in his sleep and Aaron has to fight the urge to shower him with kisses. He is simply beautiful lying there next to Aaron, his bare chest bathing in the morning sunlight. It’s nothing new, really. Aaron has seen it all before. Seen every inch of Robert in all possible ways. But today is still different. Today he is waking up in _their_ bed, in _their_ apartment.

Robert is waking up now, groaning as the sunlight hits his eyes, and Aaron is mesmerised by the smile that meets him.

“I can get used to this,” Robert says as he lets his fingers brush lightly down Aaron’s arm.

“You already are,” Aaron retorts and then, no longer able to resist, he leans over towards Robert and connects the older man’s lips with his own.

  
…  
  


Breakfast ends up being last night’s pizza leftovers in front of the telly, but they’re only half paying attention. Robert keeps going on about redecorating and how Aaron should make the place more his own now that he has finally moved in. Aaron is fine with the way things are, though. Sure, Robert’s taste can be a bit over the top sometimes, but he has gotten used to it in the last few months. Robert has lived in the apartment in Mill Cottage for almost 4 months now, and Aaron has been here more often than not, so he definitely has no problem with making himself at home.

“Tell you what we should do, though,” Robert says when Aaron turns down the offer of choosing a new wallpaper for the living room.

“What?”

“We need Christmas decorations, don’t we?”

Robert’s right. It’s only two weeks left until Christmas and neither of them owns any Christmas decorations of their own.

“A Christmas tree for starters,” Robert says, pointing at the corner next to the telly, obviously where he wants to put the Christmas tree.

“So do you want a real one or a plastic one?” Aaron asks before he downs the last bite of his pizza.

Robert seems to contemplate this for a moment until he speaks. “Plastic would be easier, wouldn’t it? But it has to be real looking.”

“Yeah, it probably would be,” Aaron agrees. “And we can use the same one for years.”

And so their first ever discussion about decorating continues long after they finish their breakfasts.

  
…  
  


“I should be heading to work.” Aaron tries to untangle himself from Robert, who is practically sitting on top of him on the sofa.

“Or you could come join me in the shower.” Robert gives him another kiss, unwilling to leave his place on Aaron’s lap.

“As tempting as that sounds,” Aaron says with his mouth still connected with Robert’s. “I really should be going.”

“Why don’t you just take the day off?” Robert says before giving him another light kiss. “What’s the point of being your own boss if you can’t even take a day off once in awhile?”

“But I’m not my own boss,” Aaron retorts and imagines Adam doing his head in if he doesn’t turn up at work today.

“That’s right, I am-”

“No, you’re not-”

“And as your boss I say you need a day’s recuperation before going back to work.”

“Is that right?” Aaron smirks. He rather enjoys watching Robert trying to convince him to stay. Although he has to admit that it’s working a little better than it should.

“Mhm.” Robert gives him another kiss, lasting a little longer this time. “And I believe a nice, long shower with your boyfriend is exactly what you need.”

  
…  
  


The Woolpack is buzzing with people this Friday afternoon. The Christmas spirit has finally arrived in the village, as is made evident by Kerry, Bernice and Nicola standing in the middle of the pub, singing “Last Christmas” at the top of their lungs when Aaron enters.

“So the prodigal son finally returns!” Adam exclaims from where he is stood by the bar.

“Alright, I know.” Aaron just rolls his eyes, knowing Adam will undoubtedly give him a hard time for skiving off work. Instead he decides to divert his attention towards Diane. “A pint please, Diane.”

“I guess I shouldn’t have expected you at work today,” Adam continues, but to Aaron’s surprise, he can’t detect any animosity.

“Sorry, we were just really busy with the whole moving in thing.” Diane hands him a pint and Aaron takes a sip.

“Busy shagging on every surface of every room, you mean.”

“ _Mate!_ ” Aaron’s drink gets caught in his throat, causing a coughing fit, to which Adam only laughs.

“It’s alright, mate. I get it,” Adam says after the laughter has died down. “Just wish you’d told me, that’s all. It’s been dead busy today, you know.”

“Yeah, I know.” They just got a big delivery from Newcastle right before they closed up last night, which was obviously going to be a lot of work. “I’m sorry.”

“You’ll come help me out tomorrow though, won’t you?”

“Tomorrow?” Neither of them is supposed to work tomorrow, but he probably owes it to Adam to finish up what he was supposed to do today.

“Yeah, I’d rather not leave it until next week.”

“Right, yeah.” But then he suddenly remembers that he has made other plans for tomorrow. “I’m sorry, I can’t. Robert wants us to go shopping for Christmas decorations tomorrow.”

“Ooh, look at you being all domestic, ey?” Adam teases and pats Aaron on the back before they both take another sip of their pints. “I’ll just go on my own then, but you’ll owe me.”

“No, you don’t have to do that,” Aaron insists. “I’ll just finish up on Sunday, it’s fine.”

“Finish what up on Sunday?” Robert suddenly comes creeping up behind them, wrapping one arm around Aaron’s waist as he takes a hold of Aaron’s pint with the other.

“Work,” Aaron simply says as he watches Robert drink up the rest of his lager.

“I thought you didn’t have to work this weekend.”

“Yeah, well that was before you decided to skive off work today, mate,” Adam says and looks directly at Robert, probably having figured out that Robert is the one who convinced Aaron to stay home all day.

“I guess we’ll just have to make the best of the time we’ve got then,” Robert smirks and turns to face Aaron before leaning down and kissing him gently on the lips. Aaron is still not used to Robert being so comfortable with touching and kissing him in public, and to be honest, he has never really been that comfortable with PDA himself. But all Aaron cares about now is that Robert is finally comfortable enough with their relationship and with himself that he can kiss Aaron in the middle of the pub without a care in the world.

The kiss is nice, but chaste. Aaron isn’t ready for it to end yet, though, so he leans back in and connects their lips once again. That is until Adam interrupts them by clearing his throat and saying “Alright you two, why don’t you go back home and get a room, ey?”

That must be the best idea Adam has had in a long time.

  
…  
  


A couple of hours later they’re finally back in the pub, ready to order their dinner. They give their order to Diane before sitting down in the corner furthest away from the bar, and fifteen minutes later Victoria comes out with the food.

“Bon appétit,” She says as she puts the plates down in front of them. “I’ve added my own special ingredient, so let me know what you think, yeah?”

“It looks great, Vic.” Robert gives her a smile before taking a bite. Aaron does the same and sees Vic looking in anticipation between them.

“So? What do you think?”

“Yeah, it’s great,” Robert says while Aaron just hums in agreement, his mouth still full of food. Great food, he might add.

“So it’s not too salty?”

“No Vic, it’s-” Robert stops abruptly, looking right through Victoria with a shocked expression on his face.

“What?” Vic seems to notice something’s up and turns around, only to end up with the same expression as Robert.

The whole pub has gone quiet now, bar a few shocked gasps and whispers in the background, and Aaron can no longer resist the urge to turn around and find out what has shocked half the people in the pub into silence.

There’s a man stood in the doorway. He’s tall and probably in his 60s or 70s, with grey hair sticking out of his flat cap. Aaron is sure he recognises the man from somewhere, but he can’t quite put his finger on where. He looks around the pub and tries to read everybody’s reactions, only to see a mixture between shock and confusion on most people’s faces. But then there’s Diane who is standing behind the bar. She looks like she’s about to faint, holding on to Doug for her dear life. Aaron looks back to Robert and Victoria, who are both still staring at the man in the doorway with shocked expressions that mirror Diane’s.

Then it suddenly hits him. He knows where he has seen the man before. It’s the man from the family photos in the back of the pub.

_Holy shit_

_It's Jack Sugden_


	2. Chapter 2

He can’t believe it. He has officially gone mad now, hasn’t he? There’s no way his dad is standing here in the Woolpack, as alive as ever. He must be seeing things. Hallucinating. Maybe it’s the food. What the hell did Vic put in that food? Is her secret ingredient acid or something?

Robert shakes his head and closes his eyes in hope of this madness going away, but the man is still there when his eyes open again. He looks exactly like his father, only quite a lot older than how Robert remembers him. This man isn’t his father though. He can’t be. His dad died almost eight years ago.

His thoughts are soon interrupted when the man suddenly speaks. “Diane,” he says in Jack Sugden’s voice. Robert looks over at Diane for the first time since the man entered the pub and she looks just as shocked and confused as Robert feels. When she doesn’t respond the man continues. “Diane, I know how this must look. I don’t want to scare you-”

“Dad?” Victoria interrupts. Her voice is trembling, and when Robert looks over at her, he can see tears forming in the corner of her eyes.

So he’s not going mad. Other people see it too. This man’s uncanny resemblance to their father. But he’s not their father. There’s no way. But what else can he be? His dad’s secret twin brother? A doppelganger who happens to know Diane? What are the odds of that?

Robert’s mind is racing a million miles an hour, but when the man turns around to face Robert and Victoria, his mind immediately goes blank. The resemblance is even scarier now that he can look the man in the eyes. There’s no way a stranger can give him the exact same look his father used to give him.

“Victoria. Robert,” the man suddenly says, recognition evident in his voice. Their names roll off his tongue as if he has been saying them their whole lives. But he can’t have been. This man doesn’t know them. He _can’t_ know them.

“Who are you?” Robert finally manages to say, but it comes out a lot weaker and more uncertain than he would’ve liked.

“Robert,” the man repeats. “I know this must come as a shock, but I didn’t know any other way to tell you. You would hardly believe me if I called, would you?”

“Who are you?” Robert asks again, this time sounding a lot more determined.

“You know who I am, Robert.” The man moves closer now and stops a couple of feet away from where Robert is sat, his eyes boring into Robert’s. “I know it’s hard to believe, but it really is me. Your dad.”

“No,” Robert insists. He looks up at Victoria, who has now moved to stand next to him. Her cheeks are covered in tears and the shock and disbelief is clear on her face. Then he looks over at Diane, who is holding on to the bar as if it’s her only lifeline.

Everything around them has gone quiet now. The little whispers he could still hear a moment ago have gone completely silent. Robert looks around the room and sees everybody staring at them, not even trying to hide their curiosity. Aaron, who is sat across from him, is looking warily between Robert and the man who claims to be his father.

“No, you’re not my dad. My dad’s dead!”

“Robert,” the man says again. “Please just hear me out.”

“What’s there to hear out?!” He can’t deal with this. He just needs to get out of here. He needs to clear his head.

Robert stands up to leave, only to be stopped by Aaron grabbing his forearm.

“Robert,” Aaron says pleadingly, holding on to his arm in a comforting touch.

“I need to get out of here,” Robert says in a weak voice, quiet enough for only Aaron to hear him. Aaron’s not budging though, keeping a firm grip on his arm as he stands up next to Robert.

“Maybe we should go through to the back,” Aaron says as he looks directly at Robert.

Robert gives him a grateful nod, wanting nothing more than to let Aaron take him out of here. But when they start walking towards the bar, Aaron turns towards Victoria and the man, giving them a look as if to tell them to come with them. What the hell is he playing at?

“Diane,” Aaron says once they reach the bar. “Why don’t you lot go talk in the back.”

Diane looks up at them, still looking as shell-shocked as she did a few minutes ago. “I-I… My shift… I can’t…”

“It’s fine, Diane. I’ll cover for you,” Doug insists, putting his hand on her shoulder.

“No.” Diane turns towards him. “I need you with me.”

“It’s alright, I’ll do it,” Aaron says, looking questioningly over at Robert, as if he’s asking him if he is alright with Aaron staying out here. He isn’t, but he also doesn’t want to go back there. He just wants to get out of this place and clear his head.

He turns around, ready to leave this ridiculousness behind when his eyes connect with Victoria’s. Her eyes and are red, but there is no longer any sign of tears. Her mouth opens, as if she wants to say something, but she soon closes it again. Robert understands exactly how she feels. What can you possibly say when your dead dad suddenly turns up alive in the middle of a busy pub? It’s unbelievable. Which is why he shouldn’t believe it. But he does.

Robert’s not stupid. He knows this man can’t be anyone other than his supposedly deceased father. But he just can’t wrap his head around it. How can the man he watched being lowered into the ground almost eight years ago suddenly be standing here in the middle of the Woolpack?

Robert has never been one to contemplate the existence of the supernatural, but he knows that’s not what’s going on here. This man is alive and well, looking expectantly over at Robert as if he owes him anything. As if Robert owes this man the time of day. As if him turning up here after Robert has spent years mourning his death changes anything. As if it will make all the pain he has caused go away.

He just can’t deal with it. This morning he felt the happiest he had ever been, but of course the happiness wouldn’t last long. Of course there’s always something lurking around the corner whenever Robert feels like he has finally gotten his life back together.

He turns around and looks directly at the entrance facing the car park. He should just get out of here right now while he still has the chance and let this mess sort itself out. But before he gets round to it, Victoria grabs his arm just like Aaron did earlier, holding him in a firm grip as if she knows exactly what Robert is thinking.

“Rob,” she says, looking intensely into his eyes. “Aaron’s right. We should get this sorted.” She turns her head to look at the silent crowd that is still staring at them like they’re the main attraction of the day before she turns back to Robert and continues. “In private.”

“Come on guys,” Doug says before Robert even gets the chance to move. He starts leading Diane into the back room and gestures for the rest of them to follow. “Let’s talk in the back.”

…

   
“So?” Robert is the first to speak after a long, uncomfortable silence. He is stood by the door, ready to leave at any minute. Diane and Vic have sat themselves down at the dining table opposite his dad and Doug is standing behind them in the kitchen, keeping a comforting hand on Diane’s shoulder.

“Robert,” his dad says again as he turns his head towards him. That is the last word Robert wants to hear right now. After all the time he has spent trying to get over never hearing his dad’s voice again, and all of a sudden he’s right in front of him, pleading his name like it’s the most natural thing in the world. It’s unbearable.

“What?!” Robert snaps. He has had enough of this now.

“I know it’s hard to believe, but please just let me explain.”

“Explain what?! How you faked your own death without caring how much it would hurt your family?”

Robert doesn’t care. He is just angry. That is all he is able to feel at the moment. He doesn’t care about some lousy excuse for why his dad apparently isn’t dead after all. That won’t take away the years they have all spent grieving his loss. It won’t take away the pain he has deliberately caused his whole family.

Robert can’t even care about finally having his dad back. When he first heard that his dad had died he would’ve given anything for it to not be true. He couldn’t bear the thought of never seeing his dad again after they had parted on such bad terms. He had always hoped there would come a time when they could finally reconcile, but the hope had died the second he saw the coffin being lowered into the ground. The coffin he thought had contained his dad.

“How could you just-” Victoria suddenly says, quietly, but still loud enough for the whole room to hear. “How could you do this to us?”

It kills him to see his little sister like this. So vulnerable and hurt. She doesn’t deserve this. She has been through so much growing up. Losing her mother so early that she can barely remember her and then losing her father as a teenager. Robert hates that he wasn't there for her at the time, but he can imagine how difficult it must have been for her.

“I’m so sorry, Victoria.” their dad says, and even though he sounds genuine, Robert can’t help but hate him for what he did to his own daughter. He has hurt them all, but Victoria was just a kid. A kid who had lost both her parents way too early. “It was the last thing I wanted, believe me.”

“What do you mean?” Diane asks. “What could’ve possibly forced you to make your family think you had died?”

“While I was staying in Spain,” he explains. “I accidentally got involved with some very dangerous people.”

“What?” Diane sounds shocked, but Robert can barely contain his laughter, seeing as this is the most ridiculous and cliché scenario he could’ve imagined. Like a bad, unrealistic action movie.

“The only way to keep you safe was to make sure you’d never find me or try to contact me again. It was the only thing I could do to keep you all safe,” his dad continues, making the whole thing sound even more cliché with every word. “I'm so sorry.”

“But…” Diane seems lost for words. “How?”

“How could you fake your own death?” Victoria asks, but Robert simply doesn't care. What does it matter how he did it? What does it matter why? It's not like it changes anything. “You couldn't have. Diane went to Spain to get your body back. You can't just fake your own dead body!”

“Diane never saw my body,” Jack states and Robert sees Victoria look shockingly over at Diane.

“What?”

“No… I…” Diane looks more confused now than ever. “Annie wouldn't let me.” She turns towards Victoria. “She said there was no point. That it would only make things worse.”

Robert doesn't want to believe it, but it sounds like his grandmother was in on his father’s plan to fake his own death. Robert, admittedly, hasn’t been the best at keeping in touch with his grandmother, but the thought of her keeping this from him for all these years is unbearable. For a while, after his mother’s death, she had been the only person in his family he felt he could rely on and he can’t believe that she would lie to him about his father’s death for almost a decade.

As if she's been reading his mind Diane suddenly exclaims. “Did Annie know?!” Victoria is shaking her head, obviously not willing to believe that their grandmother could ever do that to them, and Robert still isn’t sure he can believe it. “Was she in on it?”

“Yes,” his dad answers reluctantly. “And she hated it, believe me, but she knew there was no other choice.”

“What can possibly be so bad that you had to put your family through all that grief?” Diane asks, desperation evident in her voice. “And why come back now? What's changed?”

Robert can see that his dad is at a loss for words, silently debating with himself what to say next. But before he gets the chance to answer, the door flies open and Andy comes barging into the room.

“Diane, what's going on? Everyone’s say-” is all he manages to say before he stops abruptly. His eyes catch their dad's and Robert can see his eyes widening and his whole body stiffening. “ _Dad?_ ”

Andy’s expression quickly changes into utter shock and confusion, much like the rest of them have looked for what feels like hours now, but it must have only been about 15 minutes. Their dad stands up and starts walking towards Andy, all while repeating what Robert has grown way too tired of hearing by now. He can’t take another second of his dad’s meaningless apologies and ‘explanations’. There’s really no reason for Robert to stay here and listen to this.

Everybody is too preoccupied with Andy now, trying to explain to him what’s going on, even though neither of them have gotten their heads around any of this either. Robert can't bring himself to listen anymore. It’s all getting too much for him now. All he can think about is escaping. Just running out that door and not looking back. It would be so easy. If there's one thing his dad's death has done to him, it's making him a dab hand at running away from his problems.

He's about to take the first step out the door when he suddenly sees Andy giving his dad a long, desperate hug. Then Andy lets go and utters something about how happy he is to see him and how much he has missed him. Robert can’t believe it. How can Andy accept this just like that? Isn't he angry at their dad for leaving them behind? For deceiving them? For letting them grow into adulthood believing they were orphans? But then again, Andy was never really an orphan, was he? At least he has always lived with the knowledge that his real father is out there somewhere. Robert was stupid to think that Andy would have any idea what he has been going through after his parents died. Of course he has no idea what it’s like to have no one left.

Robert can’t do this anymore. He can’t stand here and watch his dad being welcomed back like he’s been away at war or something. Even Victoria is giving him a hug now. Diane is still keeping her distance, but his dad doesn’t seem to mind. He’s too preoccupied with Andy and Victoria to care about much else. He probably won’t even notice if Robert bails. He should just do it. Actually, he should’ve left the second the urge arose. Seeing Andy and Victoria embracing their dad and saying how happy they are to have him back. Seeing his dad smiling back at them and ignoring Robert, as if their reactions are the only ones that matter to him. He can’t stand it. He needs to get out of there.

So he does. He walks out the door and into the pub, but stops once he sees Aaron jump up from the stool he’s been sitting on behind the bar.

“Hey,” Aaron says cautiously as he walks towards him. “Are you okay?”

Robert doesn’t know what to say. He doesn’t know what to think. He is torn between wanting to bury himself in Aaron’s arms and run out of there as quickly as possible. The uncomfortable feeling of all the eyes in the Woolpack once again making him the centre of attention is unavoidable. He hates it, but all he is able to do is stand there frozen.

“Robert.” Aaron puts a comforting hand on his shoulder which finally makes him wake up from the strange daze he’s been standing in. Aaron’s looking expectantly at him, awaiting an answer to his question, just something to indicate that Robert is alright. But he isn’t alright, and he can’t stand everyone expecting him to be. How can he be alright when his whole life has suddenly turned upside down? How can everyone be so casual about this?

“I can’t-” is all he manages to say before his legs take over and start running towards the door. He can faintly hear Aaron calling after him, but he still can’t stop. He can’t even bring himself to look back, too determined to get as far away from this mess as possible.

Once he’s outside the first thing that meets him is the soaking rain. The wet feeling is almost welcome as he starts running down the street with no aim in sight. He has no idea where he is going, but he still can’t stop running. He won’t let himself stop. He doesn’t know what he is doing anymore. All he knows is that not being able to think further than his next step is a very welcome distraction.


	3. Chapter 3

It’s been almost three hours since Robert ran out of the pub when he finally returns home.

“Are you alright?” is the first thing Aaron says when he sees Robert walking through the door, but as soon as the words leave his mouth he realises what a stupid question that is. Of course he’s not alright. His life has just been turned upside down.

Concerned by the lack of response Aaron then opts for a more reasonable question. “Where have you been?”

“Around,” Robert says quietly and looks Aaron in the eye for the first time since he came home.

He is soaking wet from the rain and looks absolutely knackered. Aaron just wants to give him a hug, but before he gets the opportunity, Robert walks over to the kitchen table and sits down, lowering his head into his hands. Aaron quickly follows to sit down next to him and proceeds to wrap a comforting arm around Robert's shoulders.

“I went to the graveyard,” Robert says after a moment of silence, his voice sounding hoarse and exhausted. “Can’t believe I’ve been going to some stranger’s grave for years believing I was paying my respects to my dead father. I just-” he sighs loudly and starts shaking his head while it's still resting in his hands. “I’m furious.”

Aaron can clearly hear the anger in his voice, but more than anything, there’s hurt. Hurt and defeat. It pains him to think about how much Robert has been through in his life, and how long it took for him to open up about it all to Aaron. His dad is still a sore point, though. It doesn't go unnoticed by Aaron how Robert is always trying to change the subject whenever a conversation treads a bit too close to the subject of his dad and Robert’s relationship with him. But now it can't be ignored.

They had both finally been able to put the past behind them and let themselves be happy until today. It’s typical, really, that something goes wrong the minute they’re finally happy again. The last couple of years have been turbulent to say the least, and with everything that happened earlier this year, with the trial and everything, all they want now is some peace and quiet. Is that really too much to ask?

Robert is still sitting quietly with his head buried in his hands and Aaron can't remember the last time he felt this lost on what to do. What can he possibly do to make things better? What does Robert need from him?

Robert was constantly there for him after Aaron came forward about his father’s abuse, and a couple of stupid decisions aside, he had been everything Aaron needed. Robert's support was one of the major reasons why they were able to patch things up and give their relationship another go, and Aaron has never regretted that decision.

But now it's Aaron's turn to be there for Robert and support him in any way he needs, which is a lot easier said than done. He has never been in this position with Robert before. Aaron has always been the person who needed support and the role reversal almost feels overwhelming.

Robert is just sitting there, looking like a mess, and all Aaron wants to do is fix it. Make everything better and make things go back to the way they were this morning. But he knows that there's nothing he can do. Nothing other than being there and supporting Robert with whatever he might need.

They end up just sitting quietly next to each other for a while, but as the minutes pass, Aaron can feel Robert’s shoulders starting to shake underneath his hand.

“You're shivering,” Aaron simply says even though it's the most obvious thing in the world. Robert has just spent hours outside on a rainy December night without his jacket, of course he's going to be freezing. “You should go take a shower and I'll fix us something to eat, yeah?”

“I'm not hungry,” Aaron hears Robert mutter quietly after a moment.

“Don't be daft,” he replies softly while he moves his arm off Robert's shoulders and slowly starts rubbing his hand up and down his back. “You barely had any dinner. You need to eat.”

After some persuasion Robert is finally in the shower and Aaron has started on a bacon butty, which is pretty much the only thing he can make with what they've got in the fridge. They haven't even gotten around to do the grocery shopping yet. There's still so much they haven't done, and now it's all been put on hold indefinitely.

“Mmm, something smells good,” Robert says as he comes out of the bathroom with just a towel hanging around his waist.

“So you’re hungry now, are you?” Aaron gives him a careful smile, looking suspiciously over at his improved mood. He's smiling as he approaches Aaron, wraps his arms around his waist from behind and gives him a light kiss on the cheek.

“Thank you,” he says quietly and lets go of him before hurrying into their bedroom for a change of clothes.

When he comes back a minute later, having changed into a T-shirt and a pair of old sweatpants, Robert sits down at the same spot he was sat earlier, waiting for Aaron to bring over the food.

“You're in a better mood it seems,” Aaron says as he puts the plate down in front of Robert.

“Well, there's no point acting like someone's just died, is there?” Robert lets out a slight chuckle at the irony of his words, but Aaron can still detect a hint of bitterness in his voice.

They return to silence as they start eating. The silence is comfortable, as always, but they're both aware of the unspoken tension in the air. Aaron doesn't know how to broach the subject again, but he knows that he has to. Robert seems determined to ignore the big elephant in the room, but Aaron knows they can't go on like this forever.

“So I guess we're not going shopping tomorrow then,” Aaron says cautiously after he has finished his sandwich.

“What? Of course we are!” Robert insists. “Why shouldn't we? This doesn't change anything.”

“Doesn't it?” Aaron understands that Robert just wants them to get on with their lives as normal, but he knows it’s not that easy.

“Why would it? Why should I change my plans for him? I don’t owe that man anything!”

“Robert-”

“No!” Robert finally snaps “This doesn't change anything! Don't you get it? My dad's dead! I've been carrying his death with me for almost eight years and nothing he can do will ever change that! Nothing will change the past. Nothing will change how his death affected our family. How it affected _me_. Him coming back here doesn't make all that go away. It doesn't make anything better!”

“I know, but he's back now and there's nothing anyone can do about it.”

“So I should just forgive him and act like he never died? Just forget the last eight years of my life?”

“No, of course not. But you can’t keep ignoring the present either.”

“He’s not a part of my present,” Robert says determinedly.

“Don't you want another chance with him? A chance to finally make things right?”

“It's not like anything’s gonna change. Andy will still be the golden boy and I'll still be the great disappointment. Just like it's always been.”

“You don't know that,”

“Yeah, I do,”

“You never know, he might-”

“No offence Aaron, but you don't know my dad. Everything I've ever done is a disappointment to him. Nothing was ever good enough.”

“I’m sure that’s not true.” The second Aaron says it, Robert lets out a huff and starts shaking his head.

“Like I said, you don’t know my dad,” he simply says as he stands up and starts walking towards their bedroom.

“Robert-” Aaron calls after him, but is only met by the door slamming shut.

He just put his foot in it, didn’t he? Aaron knows that Robert has always had issues with Andy and his dad, but surely it can’t be as bad as he’s letting on. Surely his dad can't be convinced that Andy is the golden boy of the family. Not after everything he knows Andy has done.

But Aaron knows that now is not the time to get into that discussion. Robert’s got more than enough to think about as it is. They should probably just call it a day and get some rest, God knows Robert needs it.

When Aaron enters their bedroom Robert is lying on his side, facing away from the door with his face buried in his pillow. Aaron walks carefully over to the bed and lies down next to him. Robert seems tense, but when Aaron places a comforting hand on Robert’s arm, slowly stroking it up and down, he can feel Robert relax under his touch.

“I’m sorry,” Aaron says, barely louder than a whisper.

He hears Robert sigh again. “It’s alright, I’m used to no one taking my side.”

That makes Aaron recall a conversation, the first and almost only conversation they’ve had about Robert’s relationship with Andy and his dad.

 _I don’t see why there has to be sides_ Aaron had said at the time, but he knows now that it had been the wrong thing to say. Robert just needed to know that he wasn't alone. That someone supported him. That _Aaron_ supported him.

“I _am_ on your side,” Aaron says now, hoping it's what Robert needs to hear. “You know that. Your dad will be too if you tell him what Andy has done to you.”

Robert snorts. “Right, then Andy will tell him about Katie and he'll have him wrapped around his little finger again. He'll probably think I deserved getting shot.”

“You don't mean that,” Aaron says as he continues to rub his hand up and down Robert's arm. If his dad could forgive Andy for everything he had done then surely he would do the same for Robert.

Robert only replies with a huff that says all Aaron needs to know. He still doesn't believe it, and nothing Aaron can say is going to change that. All he can do is let Robert handle this in his own way. Just be there for him and support him with whatever he wants to do.

Aaron pulls him closer and rests his head in the crook of Robert’s neck, finally feeling Robert reciprocate his affections.

“So when do we leave?” Aaron says in order to change the subject. If Robert wants to go shopping for Christmas decorations than that’s exactly what he’s going to get.

“Tomorrow morning at ten,” Robert replies after a moment and Aaron hums in agreement against Robert's neck.

“Okay,” Aaron mutters before he leaves a light kiss right underneath Robert’s ear. “Good night, Robert.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!
> 
> Feedback is always appreciated, and you can find me on tumblr here: mysugdens.tumblr.com


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